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〃Who are you？〃 he cried。 〃Why are you beating on my door at such a time？〃
〃We are friends； Mr。 Standish；〃 cried Henry； 〃and if you would save your wife and children you must go at once！ Open the door！ Open； I say！〃
The man inside was in a terrible quandary。 It was thus that renegades or Indians； speaking the white man's tongue； sometimes bade a door to be opened； in order that they might find an easy path to slaughter。 But the voice outside was powerfully insistent； it had the note of truth； his wife and children； roused； too； were crying out； in alarm。 Henry knocked again on the door and shouted to him in a voice； always increasing in earnestness； to open and flee。 Standish could resist no longer。 He took down the bar and flung open the door； springing back； startled at the five figures that stood before him。 In the dusk he did not remember Shif'less Sol。
〃Mr。 Standish；〃 Henry said； speaking rapidly； 〃we are； as you can see； white。 You will be attacked here by Indians and renegades within half an hour。 We know that； because we heard them talking from the bushes。 We have a boat in the river； you can reach it in five minutes。 Take your wife and children； and pull for Forty Fort。〃
Standish was bewildered。
〃How do I know that you are not enemies； renegades； yourselves？〃 he asked。
〃If we had been that you'd be a dead man already；〃 said Shif'less Sol。
It was a grim reply； but it was unanswerable； and Standish recognized the fact。 His wife had felt the truth in the tones of the strangers； and was begging him to go。 Their children were crying at visions of the tomahawk and scalping knife now so near。
〃We'll go；〃 said Standish。 〃At any rate； it can't do any harm。 We'll get a few things together。〃
〃Do not wait for anything！ 〃exclaimed Henry。 〃You haven't a minute to spare！ Here are more blankets！ Take them and run for the boat！ Sol and Jim； see them on board； and then come back！〃
Carried away by such fire and earnestness； Standish and his family ran for the boat。 Jim and the shiftless one almost threw them on board； thrust a pair of oars into the bands of Standish； another into the hands of his wife； and then told them to pull with all their might for the fort。
〃And you；〃 cried Standish； 〃what becomes of you？〃
Then a singular expression passed over his face…he had guessed Henry's plan。
〃Don't you trouble about us；〃 said the shiftless one。 〃We will come later。 Now pull！ pull！〃
Standish and his wife swung on the oars； and in two minutes the boat and its occupants were lost in the darkness。 Tom Ross and Sol did not pause to watch them； but ran swiftly back to the house。 Henry was at the door。
〃Come in；〃 he said briefly； and they entered。 Then he closed the door and dropped the bar into place。 Shif'less Sol and Paul were already inside； one sitting on the chair and the other on the edge of the bed。 Some coals； almost hidden under ashes； smoldered and cast a faint light in the room； the only one that the house had； although it was divided into two parts by a rough homespun curtain。 Henry opened one of the window shutters a little and looked out。 The dawn had not yet come； but it was not a dark night； and he looked over across the little clearing to the trees beyond。 On that side was a tiny garden； and near the wall of the house some roses were blooming。 He could see the glow of pink and red。 But no enemy bad yet approached。 Searching the clearing carefully with those eyes of his； almost preternaturally keen； he was confident that the Indians were still in the woods。 He felt an intense thrill of satisfaction at the success of his plan so far。
He was not cruel； he never rejoiced in bloodshed； but the borderer alone knew what the border suffered； and only those who never saw or felt the torture could turn the other cheek to be smitten。 The Standish house had made a sudden and ominous change of tenants。
〃It will soon be day；〃 said Henry； 〃and farmers are early risers。 Kindle up that fire a little； will you； Sol？ I want some smoke to come out of the chimney。〃
The shiftless one raked away the ashes； and put on two or three pieces of wood that lay on the hearth。 Little flames and smoke arose。 Henry looked curiously about the house。 It was the usual cabin of the frontier； although somewhat larger。 The bed on which Shif'less Sol sat was evidently that of the father and mother； while two large ones behind the curtain were used by the children。 On the shelf stood a pail half full of drinking water； and by the side of it a tin cup。 Dried herbs hung over the fireplace； and two or three chests stood in the corners。 The clothing of the children was scattered about。 Unprepared food for breakfast stood on a table。 Everything told of a hasty flight and its terrible need。 Henry was already resolved； but his heart hardened within him as he saw。
He took the hatchet from his belt and cut one of the hooks for the door bar nearly in two。 The others said not a word。 They had no need to speak。 They understood everything that he did。 He opened the window again and looked out。 Nothing yet appeared。 〃The dawn will come in three quarters of an hour；〃 he said； 〃and we shall not have to wait long for what we want to do。〃
He sat down facing the door。 All the others were sitting； and they； too； faced the door。 Everyone had his rifle across his knees； with one hand upon the hammer。 The wood on the hearth sputtered as the fire spread； and the flames grew。 Beyond a doubt a thin spire of smoke was rising from the chimney； and a watching eye would see this sign of a peaceful and unsuspecting mind。
〃I hope Braxton Wyatt will be the first to knock at our door；〃 said Shif'less Sol。
〃I wouldn't be sorry；〃 said Henry。
Paul was sitting in a chair near the fire； and he said nothing。 He hoped the waiting would be very short。 The light was sufficient for him to see the faces of his comrades； and he noticed that they were all very tense。 This was no common watch that they kept。 Shif'less Sol remained on the bed； Henry sat on another of the chairs； Tom Ross was on one of the chests with his back to the wall。 Long Jim was near the curtain。 Close by Paul was a home…made cradle。 He put down his hand and touched it。 He was glad that it was empty now； but the sight of it steeled his heart anew for the task that lay before them。
Ten silent minutes passed； and Henry went to the window again。 He did not open it； but there was a crack through which he could see。 The others said nothing； but watched his face。 When he turned away they knew that the moment was at hand。
〃They've just come from the woods；〃 he said； 〃and in a minute they'll be at the door。 Now； boys； take one last look at your rifles。〃
A minute later there was a sudden sharp knock at the door； but no answer came from within。 The knock was repeated； sharper and louder； and Henry； altering his voice as much as possible； exclaimed like one suddenly awakened from sleep：
〃Who is it？ What do you want？〃
Back came a voice which Henry knew to be that of Braxton Wyatt：
〃We've come from farther up the valley。 We're scouts； we've been up to the Indian country。 We're half starved。 Open and g